1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems and more particularly, to an on-board computer system for vehicles. The on-board computer system of the present invention allows the user to access a broad spectrum of information, goods, and services from the convenience of the user""s vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
In today""s highly mobile society, a person spends a substantial amount of time in various types of vehicles traveling from one destination to another. The average commuter spends a large portion of the week in his or her vehicle traveling back and forth between home and work. The number of people owning or renting airplanes for business or pleasure has dramatically increased and recreational boating is a major consumer market. Modern vehicles contain a number of independent electronic systems, for example, an AM/FM radio, a CD player, speakers, and security systems. Cellular communication systems such as cell phones are commonplace and allow a person to transact telephone calls from his or her vehicle. Many vehicles are even equipped with a navigational system that incorporates a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.
Today""s consumers have a plethora of products and services available to them; however, these goods and services are provided by a broad spectrum of diverse vendors and, given the fact that modern consumers spend a significant portion of their time inside their vehicles, whether for business or pleasure, makes it extremely advantageous to consumers to have a way to readily access these goods and services from the convenience of their vehicles. Whether for business or pleasure, information accessibility is invaluable. Obtaining accurate information quickly can mean closing an important business deal, avoiding traffic congestion, or finding the location of the nearest hospital in an emergency. Although, the various electronic systems of a vehicle are useful, they are operated in a haphazard, uncoordinated manner with each system operating essentially independent of the other systems. In addition, this invention is not harmful to a human being who has a pacemaker-medtronic or fibrolator. It is known that when a human has a pacemaker, a cellular phone 3 watts or more must be 12 inches away from the device. The frequency signals from a cellular phone can adjust the heart rate.
The prior art is replete with computer systems designed to function as part of a vehicular system but none of the prior art vehicular computer systems possess the unique and innovative characteristics and features of the on-board computer system of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,609, issued on Sep. 29, 1992 to Roland Ebner et al., describes an on board computer for a motor vehicle. The on board computer for a motor vehicle is equipped with a microprocessor which acquires input signals from analog or digital generators and derives displayed values or displays data from them. These displayed values or displayed data are displayed on a display system assigned to the on-board computer which is preferably arranged within an instrument cluster of the dashboard of the motor vehicle. The on-board computer is also used as a diagnostic system for several control units installed into the motor vehicle when the computer is switched to a diagnostic mode and the corresponding set of data is selected by means of the function switch of the on-board computer.
A vehicle computer system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,164, issued on Aug. 11, 1998 to Richard Beckert et al. The vehicle computer system has a housing sized to be mounted in a vehicle dashboard or other appropriate location. A computer is mounted within the housing. The computer has two independent processors. One processor, which runs the operating system, is mounted in a stationary base unit of the housing and the other processor is mounted to a faceplate which is detachable from the base unit. When the faceplate is attached, the first processor provides the primary control over the operating systems and the faceplate processor is subservient. When the faceplate is detached, it forms a portable RF device with the faceplate processor providing radio and communications capabilities. This system of Beckert lacks chips and remote devices.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide the consumer with easy access to the ever increasing world of information, goods, and services.
It is another object of the invention to provide the consumer with a vehicular computer system that brings the world to a consumer""s vehicle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide the consumer with a vehicular computer system for vehicles that is user-friendly.
Still another object of the invention is to provide the consumer with a vehicular computer system that integrates a plethora of diverse systems and functionalities.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
The foregoing objectives are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing an on-board vehicle computer system that allows the user to access, control, interface, and communicate (by manual intervention, touch tone, and voice response) with a broad spectrum of diverse systems and services via a graphical user interface. The on-board computer system employs an open platform operating system and an open computer architecture to achieve the maximum compatibility between the system software and the hardware; however, the on-board computer system can readily employ a customized operating system and/or a customized computer architecture to meet the specific needs and requirements of consumers.
The on-board computer system of the present invention allows a vehicle occupant to shop, order and purchase merchandise (fast food restaurants e.g. McDonald""s, Wendy""s, etc.), make reservations, pay for tolls, to communicate, determine geographic location, to get latest traffic information, find nearest hospital, and to ascertain weather conditions. The on-board computer system employs a distinctive touch screen display and/or manual pushbuttons and/or voice response, has the capacity to play both audio and video, has the capacity to monitor and control a vehicle""s operation and features, has the capacity to provide security to a vehicle, and has the ability to connect to the Internet-TV-webtV, for example. The on-board computer system can connect to a person""s home computer so that other family members can monitor the vehicle from home and/or see and talk with family members.
The operating system supports a multiplicity of applications which include entertainment, vehicular systems control, communications, navigation, and security. The on-board computer system integrates these diverse and separate systems into a user-friendly on-board computer system that allows a user virtually unlimited access to information such as making hotel reservations, request telephone numbers via yellow/white pages, products, and services. The on-board vehicle computer system of the present invention incorporates commercially available hardware, software, and services into a single package; however, customized hardware, software, and services can be used to implement the system. The on-board computer system allows the user centralized access and control of vehicle""s systems and commercially available goods and services, for example, the global positioning system (GPS) can be accessed to determine the exact location of the vehicle. GPS is just one of those services and features. If a consumer connects to the Internet, the user could use the mapping conventions/directions the Web sites provide as long as it""s engineered to accept touch tone, voice response and manual intervention.
The on-board computer contains the necessary hardware and software to allow a user to place telephone calls, access the Internet, and special sensors like speedpass and satellite signals, and access local cable systems, and monitor vehicular systems. The on-board computer system provides a user-friendly interface to a multiplicity of goods and services and provides a user with ready access to a broad spectrum of information, products, and services. The multi-tasking operating system allows the concurrent running of multiple applications.
The unique pop-up screen feature of the on-board computer system guides a user through the large selection of choices and controls available. The on-board computer system has multiple storage devices such as a hard disk drive, CD drive, cassette player, DVD player, or floppy disk drive. Therefore, the on-board computer can readily download programs and data from remote storage locations and readily write data to personal storage media. The on-board computer system allows for external media communications such as a laptop to communicate/display information onto the on-board computer screen. The on-board computer system can employ a single processor such as a microprocessor or can employ multiple processors. The multiple processor arrangement can involve the assignment of specific processors to run specific applications such as a digital signal processor or can involve multiple microprocessors forming a multi-processor architecture to enhance the performance of the on-board computer system. If multiple processors and multiple monitors are involved then a client/server architecture can be achieved.
Features of the on-board computer system include Internet capabilities, conference calling, CD/DVD player, built in microphone, in a location designed to hear either the passenger or driver of the vehicle, and multiple telephone lines (an automatic built-in telephone that is programmable) An insertable mobile computer chip from a mobile phone that can be inserted into the on-board computer that can be used as one of the telephone linesxe2x80x94this feature provides rental cars and vehicle renters the flexibility of using their own phone into the rental car to get access to the Internet and to use their cell phone convenient which expands the telephone capabilities of the on-board computer system. The necessary hardware, software, and services are provided by computer manufacturers, software vendors, mobile communication service providers, internet service providers, and cable service providers. Internet vendors and vehicle manufacturers could provide their customers with a disk containing software that is loaded into the vehicular computer which allows the vehicular computer system user to access selected Internet and vehicle/mobile communication options via select display screens, i.e. Internet companies could either organize their Web sites for touch screen and/or voice response user friendliness; car/boat manufacturers could have a disk that enables certain options purchased by the consumer.
For example, the car/boat manufacturer creates a disk corresponding to the options on the car. The dealer or manufacturer loads software options into the computer. For example, if the car is built with heated seats, then manufacturers load software options for heated seats (heated seat controls) into the computer. Alternatively, the manufacturer may have a master disk which includes all options. This master disk is inserted into the computer and the manufacturer programs the computer with the options included on the vehicle by selecting only those options.
The on-board computer is specifically sized to fit comfortably and conveniently into the dashboard of a motor vehicle such as a truck, a car, or a minivan with minimal disruption of the disposition of indicators and other instrumentation typically found in those vehicles. It also can be fit in the right location on different boats. The on-board computer is powered by the vehicle power system such as a battery or solar power or satellite or combination of all.
The on-board computer employs a touch screen with touch-sensitive pushbuttons that eliminates the need for the cumbersome, conventional pushbuttons and knobs.
The on-board computer employs voice response depending on applications used by the on-board computer such as GPS and Website voice response/activation. The on-board computer system is extremely flexible allowing a user to view DVDs, watch movies via TV and cable, access a home computer, or place a conference call. The touch screen of the on-board computer can be used in place of a laptop computer screen by connecting the laptop computer to the vehicle computer.